Arab American National Museum in Dearborn gets $2M gift

4:56 PM, April 15, 2014

Businessman and philanthropist Russell Ebeid / Arab American National Museum

Detroit Free Press Staff Writer

A southeastern Michigan businessman and philanthropist has made a $2-million bequest to the the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn to endow the museum’s community archive.

Russell Ebeid’s gift is the first gift of its kind in the history of the museum’s parent organization, ACCESS, the largest Arab-American human services nonprofit in the country.

Ebeid, 74, a retired Guardian Industries executive, announced his plan to leave the museum $2 million in his will at an ACCESS event on Saturday in Detroit.

“I believe in supporting our institutions and creating a loud and proud historical heritage for our children, grandchildren and the public for generations to come,” Ebeid said in a statement. “I trust that this legacy contribution in my will can promote and enhance the Museum’s prestige, as well as honor our admirable predecessors. Therefore I hope to inspire and challenge my fellow Arab Americans, such as those gathered here tonight, to participate with me in this noble cause.”

A Lebanese American, Ebeid grew up in southwest Detroit and was trained as an electrical and industrial engineer. He worked for more than 40 years for Guardian Industries in Auburn Hills, one of the world’s largest flat-glass producers. At his retirement in 2011 he was board chairman emeritus.

The Arab American National Museum documents, preserves and presents Arab-American history and culture.

The archive that Ebeid’s gift will support includes oral histories, photographs, artifacts, books, newspapers and ephemera that highlight Arab-American contributions and places their immigrant experience within the larger context of American history.